Nearly 65 years ago today, Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous film, ‘Psycho’ (1960), was released in theaters. ‘Psycho’ is considered a cinematic masterpiece and one of the first slasher films, paving the way for a new standard for depictions of violence and sexuality in American cinema.

Giallo films, such as Mario Bava’s film “Bay of Blood” (1971), created a new genre of masked killers within slasher films and influenced more gruesome murders in movies. These types of films also cemented tropes such as the “Final Girl” trope and other re-occurring elements that fall into the genre.

Slasher films have been a part of history for decades, but none of them are as iconic or revolutionary as the “Scream” franchise. During the mid ’90s, the slasher-film genre was in a severe decline, nearly dying. However, thanks to Wes Craven, ‘”Scream” revitalized the slasher genre.

Though it wasn’t an immediate hit, it became a slow-burn success. Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott, was a young and inexperienced actress. She wasn’t sure about how the film would do within the box office or what the performance would mean for her or the studio. When executives called to tell her that the film had made $30 million, she asked, “Oh, is that bad?” only to be told it was a major success.

The name “Scream” came from the Michael and Janet Jackson song, as producer Bob Weinstein was listening to the tune. Now, “Scream” wasn’t originally the movie’s title, the original working title was “Scary Movie.” However, the producers believed that “Scary Movie” was too comedic and didn’t match the tone the studio was going for.

Which is funny because “Scary Movie” became a parody four years after the release of “Scream.”  

People have stated how the original “Scream” is incredibly impactful in so many ways, but how exactly did it impact the movie industry? Let’s start with the beginning of the film.

The beginning of the movie starts with Casey Becker, played by Drew Barrymore. The movie subverted expectations by immediately killing off a major star and introduced the killer as an analytical force rather than a crazed lunatic. The opening scene is a masterclass setting the film’s unique tone. The killer’s phone call, filled with trivia questions about horror movies, immediately tells the audience that the characters are as familiar with horror tropes as they are.

Not only does the film dissect and critique horror movie stereotypes, but the script is very self-aware. The characters in “Scream” are knowledgeable about the tropes and conventions of horror movies. They often explicitly discuss the “rules” of the genre, which adds to the wit and irony of the film.

The biggest part of horror movies or slasher films is trying to figure out “whodunit.” The identity of the killer, known as Ghostface, is kept a secret from both the audience and the characters.

This transforms the movie into a mystery, with suspects and motives changing throughout the plot. The film constantly subverts viewer expectations, using your knowledge of horror films against you. 

Even though “Scream” is a cult-classic, there are a lot of flaws with the franchise and movie itself. The film is often criticized for single-handedly resurrecting the teen-slasher genre, leading to a flood of unoriginal and low-quality films.

Furthermore, several critics have argued that as the “Scream” franchise progresses, the more lack of logistics and lack of originality will occur. Some critics even going as far to argue that there’s no point in continuing the franchise at all. However, the franchise’s very design is to satirize and embrace the horror genre’s repetitive nature, and that the recurring formula is a feature, not a lack of originality.

“Scream” is not just a franchise, it’s a meta-commentary on the absurdism of slasher films and it revitalizes the genre. Despite it’s beginnings and critiques, the franchise is still beloved by many fans all over the world.

You should watch “Scream” because it revitalized the horror movie genre and it is a self- aware horror film has a lot of references to classic slasher flicks. I would definitely recommend watching the film if you are interested in the horror genre.   Dimension Films and Woods Entertainment release, is Rated R by the Motion Picture Association for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language. Running time: 111 minutes. Four stars out of five.